I Was Lost in the Sea Until You Found Me
by tiggerz.1
Summary: Riley was a true country girl at least as a little girl until one fateful night that took everything from her leaving her all alone in the world with only her papa behind her. But when the world turns to shit not even her papa is there only a group of people she only by chance meets. where even there she is put to the test because of the fateful night. daryl oc
1. Innocent or Guilty

{i do not own any of the walking dead i only own my characters and anything you do not recognize}

You see my life was normal once even before the whole world went to shit. I had a family papas dog named lucky lived the normal everyday life and I was a farm girl to beat and I wore it with pride. I have honey blonde hair that back then I let go long and curly and never put it up mama always said I looked prettier with my hair down and pretty deep blue eyes that shone on forever my papa always said that was what would get the boys chasen' and he would be standin there with a shotgun putting them in their place but I never got the chance to experience that except with one boy who wasn't a boy at all he was a man and his name was troy. I was fifteen when I meet him and his took my v-card when I was sixteen the thing my parents didn't like about this boy the most was he was twenty six but I didn't care he was my world…or so I thought. When I was seventeen I meet another boy my age that always watched me and would protect me but would never make a move on me or talk to me. I tried and tried time again but he would just snort and walk away. I chalked it up to the big brother shit because even though I could hold my own every male I knew had to protect me.

But on Halloween eve my life changed forever. I had just recently split up with troy he was entering the world of drugs and his happy good lucky self turned into a nasty evil bastard who gave me bruises and I wasn't proud of it so I took the advice of my mama and put an end to it. My papa was working away and what I remember from that night I remember clearly. I was down in the dumps, scared and helpless, troy had been sending me threatening messages and stalking threatening my family lives and my baby sister Crystal convinced me to take her trick or treating so I dressed up as little miss muffet and she dressed up as raggedy ann. At seven that night me and my sister had just arrived back at the farm gates laughing and sneaking candy before mama could give us crap and take it away. As we walked up the path leading to the door I noticed that the barn was open and a couple horses had gotten out including my pride and joy Athabasca I named her that because she was so white and calm she reminded me of the trip we took to the Athabasca mountains. I looked down at Crystal and told her to go inside and get mama as I ran to collect the horses.

Once I reached Athabasca I heard Crystal shrill shriek come from inside the house and I took off bolting. It had started to sprinkle outside and I knew a storm was coming. Once I got inside I got an eerie feeling something was not right and my hair stood on all ends and my breathe caught in lungs. I pushed forward gently calling out for mama and Crystal but I got no reply. I stepped into the living room and called out again. Why were they not answering me I know they are here? My eyes swept the living room until they stopped and the doorway to the kitchen where you could see what looked like glass to be shattered on the floor. I called out for mama once again as I slowly strode towards the kitchen. I started to pick up the glass as I went when I grabbed a big chunk which fell out of my hand and cut my palm I swore and dropped what I had in the trash rushing to the kitchen and putting my hand under water. I grabbed a dish towel and wrapped it around my hand. As I turned around I felt my body shudder just around the kitchen island I could see someone's hand lying there. I called out for my mama again and creped towards it. I felt my body react before my brain could catch up. There lying on the ground with a knife embedded in the left part of her body was my mama.

I ran to her side not sure exactly what to do I hesitated a few times but pulled the knife out of her back and flipped her around to face me. Her beautiful glowing face was now pale white, her eyes rolled back into her head and her full red lips now a deep blue. She was gone and there was nothing I could do. For the moment I forgot about everything. I forgot that I was now holding my dead mama cradling her in my arms and humming the song she hummed to me to calm me down in my time of hurt and anguish. I forgot I was wearing a pure white dress that she sewed from scratch that was now covered in her blood. All that mattered was that I was with her and wasn't going to let her go. I felt the hot tears roll down my cheeks as I cried for my loss before I heard Crystals scream once again. I jolted from my daze and looked down at my mother one more time before I whipped my tears away grabbed the knife that was in my mother's back and stalked towards her screams. They lead upstairs and all common sense fled me as I bolted up the stairs slamming every door open trying to find my baby sister. I found her in my parent's room sitting on their bed with none other than troy who was holding a knife up to her throat. Panic rose in me and the words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them "Please troy stop, she is just a little girl it's me you want you already took my mother didn't you? What more do you want? Do you want me then fine take me just let her go."

"See I can't exactly do that she knows too much and I warned you didn't I babe I warned you what would happen if you didn't come home. Now I have got to do what I got to do and don't worry if I can't have you no one can you will join them soon enough."

"Riley…please help me…"crystal whimpered

And with her last words I watched as he slid the knife across her throat and as some of her blood landed at my feet. As her eyes went as blank as my mothers and fear rose in me. I bailed out of the room trying to make it to the door. But troy caught me hitting in the back of the head with a solid object knocking me to the ground and the knife I was holding just a few feet away from me. He straddled my waist as my vision became clearer and he leaned down grinding his teeth as he did. "You know I loved you right. I would have given you the world If you had just given me the chance. But no look at what you did I didn't want to do that but you gave me no choice haha you a bitch you know that an ungrateful little bitch I hope you enjoy hell bitch."

I felt his hands wrap around my neck and slowly my oxygen began to dissipate. At first I didn't care maybe this was what I deserved. He had warned me I just didn't take him seriously why hadn't I said something when I had the chance now my family was gone. No…it wasn't just as I was losing consciousness I had a kick where I remembered running through the field with crystal and picking some of those many flowers with mama to bring home and the day my papa came with Athabasca. Some of my favorite memories, I couldn't give up I had to survive I had to get out of there I opened my eyes and started to fight back clawing him, kicking and trying to move all was futile until I saw the knife I reached for it and my fingers just grazed it. Troy got enraged that I was not dying quick enough and slammed my head against the floor I could see stars and my vision went black for a second but I was able to reach enough to grab the knife and I swung out hitting him directly in the face. He let go of me falling onto his back grabbing his face.

I didn't waste a second more and I ran to the closest room. Which happened to be the bathroom. I closed the door just in time for troy to get to it. I locked it and he started to bang on the door I was afraid that it was going to break open any second and I didn't want to be around when It did. Papa was big on safety and he had at least one window in every room big enough to fit any one through. I climbed onto the toilet and pushed the window open with the screen and scrambled to get out I could hear the seams in my dress ripping as I pulled through but I didn't care. I was on the second floor by the time I got out and as I dangled from the ledge I went against my better instinct and let go. I could feel the bones breaking in my right ankle as I fell and I took everything I had not to scream to loud but a whimper did escape my lips but my adrenaline took over. I was out and I had to go I had to run so I broke for the trees. Just as I reached the forest I could hear him yelling for me and I ran as fast as I could. It was now pouring so hard it was hard to see. I could feel the under part of my dress sticking to me and what was no doubt blood running down my face my once clean blonde hair sticking to my face. I ran so hard I had no idea where I was going or how long I was running. Until I ran into that boy from school he looked shocked to see me until he caught one look at me and all I could say before I passed out was help me.

Through months and months of investigations and long interviews. They couldn't convict troy he had an alibi he had whipped all messages and made me the one to seem like the psycho and no matter what I did I was the one without the alibi I was the one with the blood soaked miss muffet costume with no one's blood but mine, mamas and crystals and I was the one with the murder weapon. The only person who believed me was my papa he stood by me every step of the way he was all I had. And I wasn't sure but the kid from school showed up to every court date but tried to seclude himself to one corner and make himself unknown and the day I was convicted he looked as angry as my father did. Some justice system huh? I had to learn fast to not be the lovable country girl my parents brought me up to be but I had to be tough and emotions were just not allowed to show, sure I could experience that shit on the inside but the outside I had to be like that big tough kid from my school. I was given 8 years in juvie and I am 21 now when the worlds gone to shit. I was being transferred when some walker walked into the road and the van hit him swerving and finally hitting a tree. I barely made it out alive I'm lucky I did but I was alone and who is going to help someone like me. I was on my own.


	2. back to camp

Mmm the first food I've had in weeks. All the survivors around here had scrounged up basically all this city had to offer. I was in the worst situation possible. Any survivors I had meet on my way to Atlanta had completely ignored me and walked right passed me or threatened me if I came any closer to them but who can blame them when you're walking around in a prison jumpsuit cuffs and all. It's gotten even worse since I landed in Atlanta. It was hard for me to swing the bat I had at anyone trying to eat me because of the cuffs and despite my best efforts well I couldn't manage to get them off. Though through some creative genius and cutting myself lots I managed to get a dress on seeing as that being the only thing I could get on over these cuffs. And if the world hadn't ended and I actually looked like a human I would say it suited me. It was a deep baby blue just like my eyes with black swirls designing the dress. And as I said earlier I hadn't ate in weeks until I found those little tuna in a can things that you would take as a kid for lunch comes with crackers and all in it. Just as I was finishing eating it I heard something crash just outside the door and the door to the store I was in get pushed open and a couple walkers followed in. I froze not sure how to get myself out of the situation I was in for the fact that they were standing by the door. I searched the floor around me frantically till my eyes landed on the can of tuna I just finished. I grabbed for it and moved over closer to the back of the stores still crouched and trying to stay hidden from the walkers.

Once I reached the corner I put my hands behind my head and threw the can into the back corner hitting and bouncing off the wall. The walkers heard the sound and started to make their way to the sound. As I slowly crawled my way to my bat and headed for the door. When I knew it was safe to do so I pulled the door open slowly and slide around it and pulled it closed again with my back facing the alley. With the click of the door I felt someone behind me and I turned around slowly just to come face to face with a walker. I could hear the clicking of its tongue and its stale breathe as it breathed in my face catching onto my sent before it attacked me. I put the bat up and as I fell to the floor I tried to push this thing off me trying desperately to keep it off me screaming out for help feeling the panic rise in me the fear of dying by the hand of one of these things but knowing no one was here to help me. I was alone.

Just as I could feel my arms buckling and the walkers face getting closer snapping in my face. I felt a slight pain in my cheek, at first I thought I was bit but when I couldn't hear the walkers snarls I looked up to see an arrow sticking through it head and realized the arrow had just grazed my cheek and that was what I felt. "Come on help me get it off of her." Someone yelled

I felt the weight get lifted and then a hand came out in front of my face but when the man in front of me saw the cuffs he backed away and raised his gun just slightly. I rolled my eyes and rolled onto my front so I could push up with my hands. "Don't come any closer. Why are those on you?"

I looked at who addressed me. It was the man holding the gun, now that I could see him more clearly I could see that he was really handsome but was a cop if the uniform said anything. I sighed realizing that I was going to get nowhere with this group and they were going to abandon me like the rest of them. So I turned away from him to walk the other direction when I noticed for the first time a very good looking man standing with an arrow pointed directly at me. He was quite a bit taller than me, dark brown hair and very unique blue eyes, ones that said that they didn't trust easily and would do anything to protect what was his and I didn't second guess it. I raised up my hands and turned sideways to look at the used to be cop. "I was accused of something I didn't do four years ago okay? I was in jail for 2 counts of first degree something I was framed for. But really when does that apply to now considering you just shot someone and how many others. Why don't you be like everyone else and bail and leave me alone that's what everyone else does or are you going to kill me to? Someone who is not one of them cuz' that makes you no better than me."

"Who did you kill? Or was framed for." The man with the arrow asked

I felt the tears brim my eyes and one tear slide down my cheek. "My mama and baby sister." I chocked up at the last part

I looked at the man with the gun who seemed to be battling himself on the inside. "I heard bout that, had trouble believin' that shit myself." The man with the crossbow said to me.

I glanced over at the man with the crossbow there was something about him that was familiar to me but then again I've been on the inside for four years he just probably resembles someone I've seen in passing. I heard the cop behind me clear his throat and when I looked over at him and he lowered his gun which in turn made the man with the crossbow lower it as well. "What are you doing rick she is dangerous!" an Asian man behind the cop stated

"She isn't doing much cuffed up and I can't leave her like this. You will come back to camp with us we will give you food and water and change of clothes but then we can discuss whether you can stay with us or not as a group." The man who I believe is rick said. "Ill introduce you to everyone here at least I'm rick, the man to my left is Glenn, to my right is t-dog and the man behind you is Daryl. What's your name?"

"Riley."

Rick gave me one more look over and nodded at his group. "Alright let's head back we got us a long walk ahead of us."

I groaned in my head but at least I wasn't abandoned here and whether or not I got to stay with this group in the end at least I would get some food and clothes and get rid of these damn cuffs. I felt someone presence behind me and they leaned down just above my ear and said "move."

I looked back to see Daryl glaring down at me I shivered slightly and walked forward and made a mental note not to get on the bad side of him but I had a feeling I already was.

About an hour into our walk my legs had really started to hurt but instead of complaining I started to drag my feet. I heard mumbling behind me and I looked back to see Daryl yet again looking at me glowering at me. "What?" I asked a little rudely

"Pick up your damn feet woman."

I hated that, when men talked to me like I was an object so instead of listening I dragged my feet even more which caused rick to chuckle to himself at the beginning of the group. I smirked to myself and Daryl growled behind me. That when we heard the screams. They didn't sound that far away but there was more than just a few screams and judging by how fast the whole group took off I took it as a sign that something bad was going down at the camp they were taking me to.


	3. Willing To Risk My Life For You

{Hey guys sorry for the wait school has started up again so I'm trying to update as soon as possible. I tried to make it as long as possible for you guys so I hope I didn't disappoint. But I have come to the conclusion that in order to keep up to date on the stories I am writing I have decided that right now I am going to be basing how quickly I update on the requests for updating, favoring and who follows my stories. So if you want me to update quicker please do one of the above, I'm not saying I won't update because I will but it just won't be as soon as some of my other stories that people want updated as quick as possible. I do not own the walking dead only my own character and anything you do not recognize. Please comment, follow and favorite it all means a lot to me whether it's good or bad. Enjoy!}

I was the last to arrive of the group and what I saw reminded me of all the horrible things I had witnessed in my life. People were attacking others, trying to either get there next meal or were trying to survive the obvious onslaught that came in the middle of the night. Judging by the panic in everyone's faces and shouts this wasn't expected, they thought they were safe. Now I stood on the edge of the camp and so far nothing had spotted me and I had two choices, I could run as far away as possible saving my life for as long as possible or I could do what I could to help these people, the only people who hadn't turned me away and had saved me from my death. I made up my mind, if my past taught me anything it was that I wasn't capable of murder or having a part in someone's death so I ran with my bat raised over my head running straight for the first walker I could find.

I was able to take down a few without issue, I had just finished swinging and hitting another one when I could hear a scream coming from behind me. I turned around in a panic to find a little girl with blonde cropped hair she couldn't be older than 12, had fallen on the ground with a walker not far from her and with everyone in a panic, I couldn't tell if anyone was going to help her. I started to have flashbacks of my baby sister and weather I lost my life or not I wasn't going to let it happen if I could stop it, she needed help she was just a little girl. I went to go after the walker but something grabbed my bat pulling me back with it, when I came face to face with the walker I shoved it away with my bat, probably not the best idea to lose the only weapon I had but, I needed to save the little girl.

I spun around and ran at the walker just as it reached her and I tackled it to ground. I felt a sharp sting go through my side as I rolled away from the walker. I looked down to see blood soaking through the side of my dress. I pressed my hand to my wound as I let out a sharp cry of pain and looked at the walker I had just tackled to the ground to find the source of my pain, there in its hip was an arrow. I tried to get up to run away but I collapsed on the ground as my head spun. I rolled onto my back and as the walker crawled closer to me I started to panic, it was like the nightmare with Derek all over again except this time I wasn't just going to die, I was going to be eaten. As I tried desperately to crawl away, pushing myself back with my cuffed hands and my feet as much as I could, I wasn't making it very far though. I felt someone grab my shoulder and start pulling me back. I screamed thinking it was a walker but when the little girls face I had saved earlier came into my vision I relaxed slightly just to know that she was okay, that I had at least done what I set out to do in the beginning.

I heard a moan come from in front of me and I remembered the situation I was in. I tried to push her away but she clung to me trying hard to pull me backwards. As I was pulled backwards my eyes were constantly darting from her to the walker that was getting closer with every inch we slide back with. Then it was like the walker actually had a normal idea. It stopped crawling and started to climb back up so that he was standing. I turned around to face the little girl and gave her one more push and screamed for her to run, trying not to let the fear show in my eyes or the tears that threatened to fall. She got the message and darted the other direction. I had no effort to crawl anymore the wound in my side kept bleeding profusely and I knew I was losing a lot of blood especially because of the movements I was making. So instead I laid down on the side that was not injured and started to hum my mama's song, my eyes were becoming heavy as I watched her run and it was like slow motion. I could hear all the cries and screams dying down around the camp, I could hear the moan of the walker getting now within inches of me. And just as I was preparing myself to my fate something hit my fingers and when I slightly opened my eyes I could see the little girl far enough away to not be in danger of the walker but yelling something at me that I couldn't hear, then my eyes traveled to fingers where a handgun was now laying there. I took up the last bit of strength I had to try and fight for my life and as the walker was bending over to reach out for me, I rolled back onto my back and pointed the gun right at its head and as its head came closer into my vision, I squeezed the trigger, then everything went black all I could hear was someone screaming my name in the background and then grabbing my limp body in their arms.


End file.
